The invention relates generally to harvesting freshwater from atmospheric humidity in regions suffering from freshwater shortage compounded with extended periods of extremely high temperature and very high humidity to supply potable water as well as freshwater for other human uses, irrigation, and animal and poultry farms and to alleviate the heat loading for buildings. The invention also relates to collection of water from moisture rich gases in situations of emergency and when trusted freshwater is lacking.
Extreme heat in tropical regions is usually accompanied by extremes of high humidity, especially at low altitude where bayous, marshlands, swamps, shallow lakes, heavy vegetations, and forests are abundant; tropical islands, such as the Caribbean Islands; arid land and deserts nearby ocean shorelines or seashores; such as the regions in the Arabian Peninsula near the Red Sea and the Gulf. The absolute humidity in regions by and near the shores of oceans and seas could reach up to twenty-five (25) grams of water per cubic meter of air.
Generally, natural freshwater resources are scarce or limited in very hot and humid deserts and arid lands due to low precipitation and high salinity of surface and underground water. Heat strokes are also common in areas where there is no shade and building material does not provide proper protection from brunt of the harsh climate. Rural and nomadic life conditions are deteriorating due to environmental changes caused by expanding developments elsewhere.
Shortage in supply of potable water and freshwater is increasing at a vast rate, as deserts expand and overtake fertile land and as many of the natural ground water-resources are being depleted. Shift in patterns of the global climate throughout time resulted in a drop in the rate of rainfall in many areas. Hunger and starvation is spreading in Africa because of shortage of freshwater to raise domestic animals and crops for food.
Sparse population and scattered population pockets in many areas make the application of water desalination and treatment technologies uneconomical due to the low demand and the high cost of water distribution from a central system over a wide stretch of land. Transportation of loads of freshwater is costly and exposes water to contamination en route and during handling and storage.
Accordingly, there is a need for localized production of fresh water to provide water for human drinking and freshwater for raising animals and for irrigation as well as other human uses. There is also need for means to alleviate the heating load of dwellings for human and animal.
In addition, atmospheric moisture is an excellent natural source of water regardless of the amount of water vapor content of the air. The lower layer of the atmosphere surrounding the earth contains over three trillion (3xc3x971012) cubic meter of renewable water, which is about one-thousandth (0.001) of the water stored on the surface of the earth. In comparison, the daily drinking water consumption of the earth population is about two hundred twelve million cubic meter (2.12xc3x97108), which is a very modest portion of the water entrapped in the atmosphere. That is, free atmospheric water accessible to all mankind on the earth can satisfy all drinking water needs anywhere and anytime with a lot to spare for irrigation and raising farm animals. The atmospheric moisture reserve will not be depleted by excessive extraction of water since the water vapor is continuously replenished by evaporation of surface water and the surface of the mountains and valleys due to the flow of hot air.
Accordingly, there is a need for systems to harvest moisture entrapped in ambient air for provision of potable water for human and freshwater for agricultural uses including rearing of animal farms for food.
Additionally, many resorts and vacationing places are located in hot humid regions deprived from drinking water and freshwater since they are on spreads of arid lands by shorelines wherein groundwater is brackish and rainfall is rare. In spite of the popularity of those areas, construction of desalination plants to produce freshwater for tourists is not economically viable due to the briefness of the tourism seasons and decline of demand most of the year. Reliance on bottled water is expensive for the average consumer while this source will not provide freshwater for other uses.
Accordingly, there is a need for systems for local water production from atmospheric humidity to supply fresh water to cabins, camping areas and tourist areas during tourism seasons in regions characterized by humid hot weather throughout the busy seasons. Systems compatible with tourist regions should reduce expenditure on drinking water and provide excess water for other human uses as long as the weather conditions are appropriate.
Travel across arid lands and deserts exposes travelers to shortage of water, or lack of trusted sources of water. Loading sufficient potable water on land vehicles could be cumbersome and may be impossible in some situations. Similarly, passengers on recreation boats or seagoing ships can be exposed to the risk of water shortages during their excursions.
Accordingly, there is a need for portable freshwater producing systems that can supply freshwater and potable water on land vehicles and seagoing vehicles, utilizing available water resources, such as atmospheric humidity and moisture-laden exhaust gases from internal combustion engines.
Installing large freshwater tanks over land vehicles for long trips across vast stretches of desert is impractical. Similarly, carrying sufficient freshwater supply or installation of desalination units or water reuse units aboard large seagoing boats reduces cargo space and minimizes the benefit from surface areas on the boat and increases the load.
Accordingly, there is a need for lightweight and freshwater producing systems characterized by small footprints that can supply freshwater and potable water on large land vehicles and seagoing ships.
In situations of emergency, water supply systems may be contaminated or interrupted by natural disasters or man made catastrophes and shortage of clean freshwater and potable water can lead to spread of diseases.
Accordingly, there is a need for mobile and portable water production equipment that can supply non-contaminated freshwater and potable water for a small or larger group of people on temporary basis until the main supply of water resumes operation.
Thermoacoustic refrigeration engines have been developed and are in use in the US National Laboratories, the US Department of Energy and the National Institute of Science and Technology, the US Department of Commerce. The machines are currently used for crycooling in special experiments.
In recent years concerns with the ozone depletion and global warming problems have become additional focal points of the Heating Ventilation Air Conditioning and Refrigeration (HVACandR) research programs. Approximately one-third of the chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) consumed in the U.S. are us refrigeration and air-conditioning. CFCs are considered a major factor in ozone depletion and global warming problems. The changeover from CFCs to alternative refrigerants impacts equipment design and have a significant impact on energy use.
In the latest development in refrigeration, high-intensity sound waves are used to create superhot gas molecules. The gas molecules transfer their heat to inert coils and then expand and cool; effectively creating a refrigerator that can be adjusted by a volume-control knob. Advantages over conventional refrigerators include the elimination of ozone-destroying gases, reduction of components to a single moving part, and the ability to precisely control the cooling cycle. Thermoacoustic cooling has been used in space shuttles, and it remains a future hope for automobile air conditioners and refrigerators in homes and boats. Accordingly, intensive efforts are expended in application of such capabilities in development of air conditioning units for automobiles to replace current devices that use Freon and other CFC refrigerants, which are harmful to the environment. A thermoacoustic cooling device was manufactured to cool drinks in tin containers.
Harvesting the water carried by atmospheric moisture enhances the utilization of natural resources in areas of scarce water supply and in applications where the transport of water poses a problem, such as the case of potable water supply as well as in maintenance of trees and greenery in tropical arid regions. The use of an environmentally benign cooling capability makes the exploitation of this water source attractive. Dependent on the amount of water needed the thermoacoustic engine can be used indoors. Extraction of humidity from the air provides cooling which can substitute for energy-intensive air conditioning systems, since the effective temperature increases with the increase in humidity of the air intake. A laboratory test of a thermoacoustic cooler, 227 W of acoustic power was used to provide 419 W of useful cooling power, corresponding to a coefficient of performance of 1.85. Taking into account the 54% electro-acoustic efficiency of the loudspeakers, the thermoacoustic cooler provided 1 W of cooling for each watt of electrical power input.
Accordingly, there is a need to develop systems that utilize energy-efficient environmentally benign thermoacoustic cooling to produce freshwater from hot humid air for supply of potable water and freshwater for different uses.
Harvesting of moisture from ambient air has been an old art. Two thousand years ago, the Nabatian Arabs, whose Kingdom embraced the Northern part of Saudi Arabia, harnessed, stored and conveyed water through an extensive system of public and private, wells, reservoirs, pipelines and channels. They gained fame for sophisticated hydraulic works such as dams and water channels. For areas close to water bodies, they collected water from the atmospheric moisture using caves in the mountains. The relatively warm air was allowed to pass through special man-made openings carved in the rocks. The water vapor condenses on the cold walls and flows by gravity in conduits or grooves in the stone walls. The produced fresh water is then collected by cisterns and stored in reservoirs below the collection areas. Near the Red Sea, they tunneled wide deep caverns under the mountains for condensation of water vapor carried by the air. Currently, there is a farm in that area, near Petra, that quite successfully imitates the old ways.
A passive system being used from ancient times in desert regions consists of a massive beehive-shaped block of concrete or stone pierced with many holes. A complex cycle involving radiation into the clear night sky of the desert allowed small amounts of water to be recovered from a very dry atmosphere. In tropical areas, such a device is very productive if the night sky is not often overcast.
Archaeologists have discovered that the ancient city of Theodosia, situated in one of the driest sections of Crimea, Ukraine, was abundantly supplied with water 2,300 years ago by taking water from the air instead of the earth. A beehive structures on hill draws moisture from atmosphere and holds it in reservoir. Thirteen great heaps of broken limestone were loosely piled on a nearby hilltop. Ducts led moisture condensing from the air within these piles to the fountains of the city, and there is no record that they ever ran dry.
On the coast of Oman large cold surfaces were placed on the top of a coastal mountain ridge to collect water from the early morning water vapor.
Very low technological approaches have been utilized from the earliest times. For example, caverns near the Red Sea wherein dew and fog would condense on the cool walls and be collected in xe2x80x9cguttersxe2x80x9d carved into the walls. However, attempts to do this on a larger scale and/or with more modern artificial cooling have not yet materialized on a wide scale.
A semi-active moisture/condensation system produces potable water simply by sucking the air through an array of underground pipes plumbed into the house""s cold water system. The system is mounted in the basement or crawlspace of an otherwise conventional home. The chill of the earth causes sub-cooling of humid air entering the basement from grade level, condensing some of the moisture.
In St. Croix, the Virgin Islands, cold water was brought up from the deep ocean, run through condensation coils to extract fresh water from the atmosphere. Then the nutrient rich seawater was used in an aquaculture system.
Prior art encompasses inventions that utilize chemical adsorbents to extract moisture from atmospheric air or moisture-laden gases to produce fresh water or drinking water after appropriate treatment. The adsorbent is then regenerated and recycled for reuse. The use of adsorbents may be necessary in cases wherein insignificant amount of moisture is present in the atmosphere whereas in the case of extremely hot and humid environments the use of chemicals seems to be a nuisance and would require additional steps for extraction of water and regeneration of the chemicals. In addition, such systems require technical care in operation and maintenance, unlikely to avail the people and areas in dire need for water.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,816,592 discloses an aerial well comprising: a dome-like, perforated shell of stone and mortar, with a thickness of 2.5 to 3 meters to prevent the penetration of the sun""s heat; a mushroom like inner core of concrete, pierced with numerous ducts for the circulation of air; a central pipe with its upper opening above the top of the outer dome. At night, cold air pours down the central pipe and circulates through the core as shown in the diagram. By morning, the whole inner mass is so thoroughly chilled that it will maintain its reduced temperature for a good part of the day. Warm, moist outdoor air enters the Central chamber, as the daytime temperature rises, through the upper ducts in the outer wall. It immediately strikes the chilled core, which is studded with rows of slates to increase the cooling surface. The air chilled by the contact, gives up its moisture upon the slates. As it cools, it gets heavier and descends, finally leaving the chamber by way of the lower ducts. Meanwhile the moisture trickles from the slates and falls into a collecting basin at the bottom of the well. By this principle, it is possible to obtain as much as 22,710 liter of water daily for every 93 square meter of condensing surface. This patent was implemented over half a century ago in southern France for extracting water from the air to irrigate fields and vineyards. Towering 12 meters above a hilltop overlooking the little town of Trans-en Provence, the structure resembles nothing more than a monstrous beehive. Its grayish-white walls of stone are perforated with scores of openings. Warm outdoor air entering through these ducts is systematically stripped of its moisture by contact with the chilly interior, much as dew condenses on a pitcher of ice water.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,313,312, for example, discloses a water producing air conditioning system comprising a water producing apparatus that adsorbs moisture in the ambient air on an adsorbent or absorbent and evaporates water adsorbed on the adsorbent or absorbent by heating it and condenses steam to obtain water. A heat exchanger exchanges heat between ambient air and hot dry air discharged from the water producing system during adsorbing moisture on the adsorbent or absorbent. An evaporation-cooling system is used for forming a cold wet air by evaporating water and cooling it by contacting water with a dry air at the ambient temperature passed through the heat exchanger. The hot air heated by the heat exchanger or the cold air obtained from the evaporation-cooling system is utilized for the air conditioning. The system can be used for comfortable living in a severe condition such as a desert by the effective combination of the evaporation-cooling apparatus with the water-producing device utilizing high efficiency heat-exchange. Evaporative cooling was used in this disclosure as the main method for air-cooling, however evaporative cooling was not used, as an assistive means for supplementing cooling by convection of a cold-water steam was not mentioned.
In addition, U.S. Pat. No. 5,601,236 teaches an autonomous plant watering device and a method for promoting plant growth for arid climatic regions. The device includes an absorption cycle atmospheric vapor condensation unit that may be solar powered, to deliver water and accumulate the collected water in a storage tank. The stored water is supplied to a subsurface, site-specific delivery system located intimately with a target plant. To assure growth enhancement, the apparatus utilizes fuzzy logic supervision provided with local sensing means and historical vapor pressure maps to control and predict water usage while controllably supplementing the delivered water with nutrients and anti-transpirants as needed. The device disclosed by this patent is used for site specific watering intimately incorporated with the target plant, which is not the case with the present invention.
The aforementioned inventions and others that may fall under the same category do not relate to the present invention since they are based on the use of adsorbents, desiccants and hygroscopic material, and mostly address hot low humidity climate conditions; which is not of concern to the present invention.
Heat pipes are used in some inventions to cool a condensing surface below dew point to precipitate the water vapor from the atmosphere. Heat pipes are also used to control indoor environment. However, the present invention is not based on this type of technology exploitation and inventions.
Prior art has also encompassed processes that rely upon heat convection in large structures and the control of the process to obtain freshwater from atmospheric humidity. Tropical and subtropical regions having high ambient temperatures and relative humidity can be locally subjected to cooling and dehumidification according to U.S. Pat. No. 4,182,132, by a tower in which, upon a post or other vertically extending support, a pair of vertically aligned spaced apart air guides are provided. The lower air guide includes the cooler that can simultaneously condense moisture from the air while the upper air guide can include a heat dissipater of a refrigeration cycle. The air guides are associated with blowers and inducing ambient air into the air guide at a location between them and displacing the air through the air guides into heat exchanging relationship. The tower can also be used to collect potable (drinking) water by condensation from the atmosphere.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,433,552 describes a system for recovering atmospheric moisture utilizing a wind driven electrical generator for powering a mechanical refrigeration system for condensing atmospheric moisture. A turbine is mounted on a housing forming an atmospheric duct. The turbine is driving a connected electrical generator. The refrigeration system includes an evaporator positioned in the atmospheric duct whereon water vapor is condensed. Electrical current is generated from wind to power the refrigeration system, which includes the evaporator. Atmospheric moisture is condensed on the evaporator and collected.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,080,186 describes a device to extract useful energy and fresh water from moist air, with an associated removal of pollutant particles entrained in the extracted water. The device comprises an enclosure with a tall stack and an extended base that has means for the creation and utilization of a contained tornado, which is powered by the energy release associated with the rapid condensation of water from the incoming moist air. This patent is based on atmospheric conditions that do not pertain to the present invention.
The above inventions that rely upon heat convection in large structures in extraction of freshwater from the atmosphere and cooling or dehumidification of local open space do not relate to the present invention, which is based on processes that are mostly performed within relatively compact structures.
In contrast, very limited production of water for irrigation was disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,315,599 that describes a method and a device for automatically watering vegetation whereby the water requirement is constantly monitored. A cooled condensation surface selectively condenses water vapor out of the atmosphere and collects the condensed moisture for application onto the soil containing vegetation. Various accessories are provided to automatically feed the vegetation and distribute water to the soil containing the vegetation. The device uses thermoelectric principles to provide the required watering requirements, however, the patent does not disclose a hand-held or a portable device for providing potable water during emergencies.
Domestic central air conditioning units used to cool homes or any other buildings operate in combination with air directing units that produce a quantity of waste condensate. The water formed by condensation taken out of the air was utilized in a lawn watering system that was disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,134,269. A device is designed for continually collecting the waste condensate from the central air conditioning unit. The water is stored in a holding tank. At a predetermined level in the tank, a pump is switched on to deliver the water to a hose system in the lawn. The system intermittently and automatically distributes the condensate throughout a region to be irrigated. The device comprises a holding tank for collecting the waste condensate; a drainage conduit for directing the waste condensate from the air conditioning unit to the holding tank; a depth sensing device is used indicating the level of the waste condensate collected in the tank; a pump that is automatically turned on by the depth sensing device to pump collected waste condensate from the holding tank when the depth sensing device indicates that the level of condensate in the tank has reached a predetermined maximum and automatically turned off by the depth sensing device when the depth sensing device indicates that the level of condensate in the tank has reached a predetermined minimum thus allowing the condensate to refill the tank to the predetermined maximum level; a discharge conduit associated with the pump; and an irrigation system for directing the waste condensate from the holding tank throughout the region to be irrigated.
Prior art on thermoacoustic cooling and refrigeration is concerned with different types of design of the thermnoacoustic-cooling engine. Examples are, U.S. Pat. No. 5,456,082 that describes a pin stack array for thermoacoustic energy conversion, U.S. Pat. No. 5,295,791 that discloses a tapered fluid compressor and refrigeration apparatus, U.S. Pat. No. 5,275,002 teaches a pulse tube refrigerating system, U.S. Pat. No. 5,174,130 discloses a refrigeration system having standing wave compressor, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,584,840 describes a cooling machine or heat pump having a thermoacoustic work system that has a heat source and a heat sink coupled with at least one thermoacoustic drive system of like construction. In addition, an acoustic cryocooler with no moving parts is formed from a thermoacoustic driver driving a pulse tube refrigerator through a standing wave tube was disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,953,366. Only U.S. Pat. No. 5,165,243 discloses a compact acoustic refrigerator for cooling electronic components.
None of the prior art references benefit from thermoacoustic refrigeration or thermoelectric cooling using water as a cooling fluid to cool the condensation surfaces and provide potable water on a small or large scale. In addition, the use of combinations of natural cold brackish water, transpiration cooling and evaporation cooling to condensate atmospheric humidity was not disclosed in prior art.
Furthermore, none of the prior inventions discloses devices or means for utilization of building architecture to provide an aesthetically acceptable system to provide freshwater from hot humid outdoor ambient air while reducing the heat load on the structure. Integration of water production from air moisture for human use, irrigation, or animal farms and the environment is one of the unique features of the present invention.
According to the present invention, thermoacoustic refrigeration is used to cool freshwater circulating in pipes and coils to cool condensation surfaces of different topologies to temperatures below dew point to produce freshwater and drinking water by condensation of water vapor from atmospheric humidity in high temperature and high humidity climates. In a second aspect of the invention, devices or production of freshwater and drinking water use condensation of water vapor from moisture-laden gases such as the exhaust of internal combustion engines. In a third aspect of the invention, thermoelectric cooling was used to cool freshwater for condensation of water vapor from hot humid gas to supply a limited quantity of freshwater. In a fourth aspect of the invention, cooled water and evaporation cooling were used to condensate and cool freshwater condensates from atmospheric moisture. In a fifth aspect of the invention, the water vapor condensation surfaces were integrated with building structures to produce ample quantities of water from outdoor air and alleviate the heat loads. In a sixth aspect of the invention, aesthetically accepted systems are provided for supplying water to animal farms and to forested areas. In a seventh aspect of the invention, a modular system was provided for collection of water from the atmosphere using natural brackish water cooling supplemented by transpiration cooling and evaporative cooling.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a device and a process for condensation of water vapor entrained in hot humid air by flat condensation plates surfaces of varying surface areas. Surface areas of the plates can be expanded from small limited areas to cover large wide areas dependent on the desired quantity of condensate.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a device for freshwater production, using condensation surfaces that can condensate large quantities of water vapor per unit surface area, wherein special coatings are applied with some degree of surface roughness.
It is a third object of the present invention to provide a freshwater producing device using thermoacoustic cooling and parallelopiped sectioned condensation chamber to condense atmospheric humidity.
It is a fourth object of the present invention to provide a freshwater producing device using thermoacoustic cooling and conical multi-layer condensation chamber to condense atmospheric humidity.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a thermoelectric device using cylindrical condensation chamber to condense atmospheric humidity for supply of freshwater to a small group of people.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a thermoelectric device using cylindrical condensation chamber to condense atmospheric humidity for supply an individual with potable water.
It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide a device and a process for producing cold potable water for a large number of people using cold water to cool condensation fins in a cylindrical configuration as well as evaporative cooling.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a system for supply of freshwater to a building through condensation of moisture from outdoor ambient air by a condensating roof structure that also alleviates the heat loading on the living space.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a system of condensating surfaces attached to the exterior walls of a building for supply of freshwater through condensation of moisture from outdoor ambient air.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a system for supply of freshwater to a building through condensation of moisture from outdoor ambient air by condensating surfaces integrated into the architecture of the building.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a device for supplying drinking water to poultry and farm animals produced from atmospheric moisture.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide an irrigation system blending with the surroundings for watering trees in a forested area produced from atmospheric moisture.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a modular system for collection of freshwater from the atmosphere to supply potable water for human and fresh water for irrigation and drinking water for farm animals using natural cold brackish underground water to cool condensation surfaces with the assistance of transpiration cooling and evaporative cooling.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a modular system for collection of freshwater from the atmosphere to supply potable water for human and fresh water for other human usage using natural cold brackish deep cold seawater to cool condensation surfaces with the assistance of transpiration cooling and evaporative cooling.
In a first embodiment of the invention, a thermoacoustic refrigeration engine continuously cools water circulating in a closed tube-coil arrangement by a water pump. The cooling water flows through a tubing and a set of coils in a plane configuration rigidly connected to a rough metallic plate coated by a material that enhances drop-wise condensation of water vapor. By cooling the plates to a temperature below the dew point, heat exchange between the plates and the hot humid air naturally flowing in contact with the surface of the plates strips the air from humidity and cools it. Condensate from water vapor condensating on the cold surfaces is collected as freshwater. The quantity of production of freshwater depends on the surface area of the plates, providing the temperature of the surface is kept below the dew point. In principle, any quantity of water can be produced by scaling up the surface area of the plates. The footprint of the system can be reduced by stacking several plates and subjecting their coated surfaces to the prevailing wind or air moving direction.
The first aspect of the invention also relates to forcing the flow of ambient air to blow within the vicinity of and in intimate contact with the cooled condensation surfaces. This is accomplished by placing the condensation surfaces in a closed chamber wherein hot humid ambient air is blown by an air blower inside the chamber entering from one side and exiting from an opposite side.
In another embodiment of the first aspect of the invention the condensation chamber is a two section elongated box with a large rectangular air entrance and a smaller rectangular air exhaust. The condensation surfaces are provided by thin wide fins placed on the circumferences of the cooling coils. Condensate is collected by a conical funnel and pumped through a filter to a storage and supply tank.
In a different embodiment of the first aspect of the invention, the condensation chamber is constructed from layers of concentric metallic sheets forming a cone wrapped with cooling coils. Hot humid air is drawn from the wide mouth of the chamber to force it through the narrow mouth.
The two-section rectangular box-shaped and the conical condensation chambers are used in the second aspect of the invention to condensate water vapor from the exhaust of an internal combustion engine by directing the exhaust with a blower to the interior of the chamber in the water producing device. In hot humid climates the moisture-laden exhaust gas will be mixed by hot humid ambient air.
In the third aspect of the invention, hot humid air, engine exhaust or a mixture of both is drawn through a condensation chamber containing a spiral of cooling coils as the condensation surfaces. In another embodiment of the third aspect of the invention, condensation is enhanced by placing fins on the circumference of the coils. Cooling water is supplied by a thermoelectric cooler powered by a bank of chargeable batteries for a device that supplies a limited quantity of freshwater from condensate collected and filtered in a small storage tank.
A size of a device as small as a hiking canteen or a thermos to supply drinking water in emergencies for one individual is provided in a different embodiment of the third aspect of the invention. The bottom of the device allows the attachment or screw of a cup or a small container to fill it with filtered water for drinking. The cup can be thermally insulated or wetted for coolness of water.
In the fourth aspect of the invention, cooling freshwater produced by a refrigeration system is supplied by tubes and coils to a cylindrical condensation unit formed from finned surfaces and coils. The condensation surfaces condensate atmospheric moisture to produce freshwater. Further cooling of the water leaving the condensation coils is achieved by evaporative cooling. The collected condensate is stored in a tank wherein the water is treated by ozonation and filtered before dispensation. The water flow is driven by pumps and controlled by valves and water level sensors. In one of the embodiment of the fourth aspect of the invention, evaporation cooling is provided by a pot in the middle of the condensation unit wherein the cooling water terminates after cooling the condenser and thus carrying the heat reject from the hot humid air. Other embodiments include using a small water tower, and placement of the pot outside the condensation unit. The pots and the tower are fabricated from porous material such as ceramics or non-glazed clay. The evaporative cooling of water filled containers is caused by the relatively dry cool air resulting from the heat exchange of the humid hot air with the condensation surfaces. Cooling is provided by thermoelectric cooler. Alternately, thermoacoustic cooling or gas refrigerants may be used.
In a different embodiment of the fourth aspect of the invention, the system is used to provide separate large basins for irrigation water and drinking water for farm animals. Untreated product water is drained in each basin and nutrients and appropriate chemicals are added.
In the fifth aspect of the invention, water vapor condensation surfaces were integrated with building structures to produce ample quantities of water from hot humid outdoor ambient air and to alleviate heat loads from the hot humid weather and from the irradiation by direct sunrays. In one of the embodiments of this aspect of the invention, the roof is covered by densely placed staggered metallic sheets having grooves with a slope leading to gutters and draining spouts to collect the condensate and direct it to a water distribution facility. Pipes of cooling water are used to cool the condensation surfaces wherein water is circulated by pumps and cooled by a thermoacoustic cooler. In a second embodiment of the fifth aspect of the invention, metallic sheets cooled by pipes of circulating cold water are placed on the external sidewalls in an arrangement that promotes condensation of water vapor from outside ambient air. The condensation sheets are aesthetically arranged to blend with the building architecture. Conduits, pipes and spouts collectively direct product water to the distribution facility. The roof coverage and the sidewall condensation sheets are combined to provide larger supply of freshwater and more protection from the heat in a third embodiment of the fifth aspect of the invention. Natural cold-water sources may be used in place of thermoacoustic cooling wherever available.
In an embodiment of the sixth aspect of the invention, a system is provided for supplying farm raised animals and poultry with drinking water, using thermoacoustic cooling engine to cool water for circulation in a vertically assembled cylindrical arrangement of water pipes with fins for condensating water vapor. Ambient hot humid air is directed downward by air blowers to have an intimate contact with the surfaces of the fins. A shading cover protects the pipes from the sun and help directing the hot humid air downward. The condensate is drained into a container at the bottom of the cylindrical assembly wherein nutrients and solutions of preventive medicine are added to the drinking water. The water is then dispensed on demand to the farm animals or poultry.
The other embodiment of the sixth aspect of the invention provides a sculpture of an artificial wooden tree with an outer surface made from natural bark for watering a forestation area. The artificial tree trunk is equipped with a thermoacoustic cooling engine, a storage tank, a water distribution system, and pipes for communicating cooling water to the condensation surfaces provided by metallic wide leaves with thin branching tubes for cooling. Fur-like fins cover the artificial leaves. The condensate collected from water vapor entrained in hot humid air drains in the storage tank inside the trunk. Nutrients and chemicals are added to the water as needed for health growth of the trees. The water is distributed through buried plastic pipes that resemble the roots of a tree to deliver water on demand to natural trees. The water supply system is located in a manner that allows free flow of hot humid air around the leaves, and is aesthetically integrated with the wooded area.
In the seventh aspect of the invention, a modular system is provided for collection of water from the atmosphere using natural cold brackish water from a natural source such as a deep well, for cooling condensation units formed from coils, plates and fins. The cooling water is pumped to the top of an assembly of a stack of modular containers, manufactured from ceramics or metal covered with water absorbing material. The cooling water flows downward by gravity outside the containers and through the coils. Hot humid air is blown inside the containers for condensation of the water vapor content and the product condensate fall by gravity through the containers to a holding tank for treatment and distribution of freshwater. The wetted containers are cooled by cold air driven through an air radiator causing evaporative cooling of the outside surface of the containers. When ceramic containers are used, transpiration cooling plays a supplementary role in the cooling process. The number of containers depends on the quantity of freshwater required and the amount of coolness provided by the brackish water. The product freshwater can be used for irrigation, for animal drinking, or for production of potable water and other human usages.
In another embodiment of the seventh aspect of the invention, the modular system uses deep seawater as coolant to provide potable water and freshwater aboard ships. For potable water supply proper water treatment is necessary and is dependent on sources of pollution and contamination of the air and the product water.